The Beautiful South

Infamously prolific, the Beautiful South have released another pair of discs with some musical gems; this is disc number one from the pair. These maxi-singles really show off singer Jacqueline Abbott, taking full advantage of the success they had with her cover of "Everybody's Talkin'." Other than the title track on this disc, which is taken from the Miaow LP, the other two tracks are previously unreleased. "A Way With the Blues," sung by Paul Heaton, is another remake, this time written by well-respected U.K. country singer Michael Greaves. The groovy piano stylings and Heaton's voice make this homage to the blues a must-have. Two more songs by Greaves are featured on disc number two of this set. "Let Love Speak Up Itself" was one of the Beautiful South's biggest hits, but this is a rare version of the song. Recorded live for The Emma Freud Show on the BBC, Jacqueline Abbott again takes the role of lead singer. Because of a mistake, this track can also be found on some mis-pressed versions of Carry On Up the Charts. ~ Joe Schanderson, All Music Guide